From Boggarts to Family
by AngelsofHades
Summary: After Lupin's class where Neville's Boggart turns into Severus Snape everyone laughs it off as childish fear, everyone but Snape. He slowly realizes that there is more to Neville's fear than just a mean teacher. Neville is emotionally and physically abused at home by his grandmother and his uncles. Something Snape decides to put a stop to. -Rated T to be safe- Mentions of abuse


From Boggarts to Family

**Hi guys, me again! So last year I received a story request from **_**marthapreston4**_** for a family Neville and Severus fic. All requests like these are completely welcome and I would be honoured if anyone else wants me to write something for them. Hopefully this is as good as she hoped. It won't have a lot of chapters, but I'll try to make it more than a one-shot. **

**This is not a Severus/Neville pairing, but there may be slash if there is any pairing at all. It's a father/son relationship between the two. There will be abuse mentioned, but I'll try not to make it too bad. **

**Summary: After Lupin's class where Neville's Boggart turns into Severus Snape everyone laughs it off as childish fear, everyone but Snape. He slowly realises that there is more to Neville's fear than just a mean teacher. Neville is emotionally and physically abused at home by his grandmother and his uncles. Something Snape decides to put a stop to.**

**Now a lot of this chapter will be very similar to the actual book, but after this chapter there shouldn't be too much of a resemblance. **

**Disclaimer: I own naught but the plot. The characters belong to J.K Rowling and the idea is owned by **_**marthapreston4**_**. **

**Let's a go!**

Neville was panicking. He was struggling with the potion that Professor Snape had decided to 'teach' them this lesson. Neville couldn't remember what it was called but he had a vague idea about what it was supposed to do. It turned something's age backwards or something like that. He hadn't been able to remember things well since the..._ incident_. Right now, Neville wasn't really that concerned with what it was supposed to do, in favour of trying to make it right. He had no idea how it'd gone so bad, so quickly. One minute, everything seemed fine; the potion was boiling right, the ingredients were cut up correctly, and Professor Snape hadn't approached him at all this lesson so he was fully concentrated. But now it was orange. _Orange._ How had that happened! He stared at it in shock for a few moments before turning to the instructions and trying to find how that had happened. Maybe he might be able to save it before the Professor noticed. A dark shadow stopped in front of his cauldron and he flinched.

"Orange, Longbottom," Neville flinched again when the Professor spoke in a cruel tone, dragging his last name out, before picking up the ladle Neville had abandoned to read the instructions.

"Orange. Tell me, boy, does anything penetrate that thick skull of yours? Didn't you hear me say, quite clearly, that only one cat spleen was needed? Didn't I state plainly that a dash of leech juice would suffice? What do I have to do to make you understand, Longbottom?" Neville was trembling by the end of the Professor's mean rant. He was surprised that no-one had noticed his seizure-like flinch when the Professor called him... _boy. _He shuddered again, just thinking of the last time he'd been called that. He subconsciously rubbed the multiple burn marks that covered most of his arm.

He was confused though, as he _had _only added one cat spleen, and really, he hadn't put more than a dash of leech juice either. He flushed as he heard the snickers of the Slytherin's and Hermione's frustrated sigh. Thank Merlin she sat next to him, he would never _survive_ the lessons, let alone _pass_ them without her.

He was about to answer the terrifying man, to tell him that he _had_ done all of that, when Hermione spoke up in her polite, yet still slightly annoying voice.

"Please, sir, please, I could help Neville put it right-"

"I don't remember asking you to show off, Miss Granger," Snape cut her off harshly, making Hermione flush red and all of the Gryffindors' blood to boil even hotter than when he'd been mean to Neville before he continued.

"Longbottom, at the end of the lesson we will feed a few drops of this potion to your toad and see what happens. Perhaps that will encourage you to do it properly." Neville paled drastically and struggled to take in another breath. Not Trevor. No matter how many times the blasted toad had tried to escape, he was still the only thing he'd ever gotten from his family that didn't end with him sore, bleeding, broken and in tears. As the horrible Professor moved away once again Neville turned to Hermione and begged her to help him.

The pair spent the next few minutes trying to bring his potion back to normal, with Hermione hissing instructions out of the side of her mouth as to not be seen when Neville noticed that two certain lumps of flesh were paying much more attention to him than their own potion. He also noticed that they had a wand lying on the side of the bench closest to him. It suddenly came to him. They had _sabotaged_ his potion! He sent a quick "_finite incantatem!" _at his potion and was both overjoyed and extremely angered when he found that the potion turned back to the acid green it was supposed to be. He heard Hermione breathe a sigh of relief and got back to work. Just as he was finishing Professor Snape spoke again,

"You should have finished your ingredients by now; this potion needs to stew before it can be drunk, so clear away while it simmers and then we'll test Longbottom's..." Neville paled again and he made sure everything was completed. He heard the cruel laughter of the large lumps of meat once again. He turned and sent a glare in Crabbe and Goyle's direction, immediately shutting them up. It was the harshest, angriest expression they had ever seen on the little lion's face. Hermione spoke to him again from the corner of her mouth but he reassured her by saying it was done.

He backed away from the potion cautiously and cleaned his bench and washed his equipment. When the lesson was nearly over professor Snape strode back over to Neville and sneered. Neville cowered and held onto Trevor as tightly as he could without hurting the fat toad. The Slytherin's snickered louder at the sound of Professor Snape called everyone over to Neville's bench.

"Everyone gather 'round, and watch what happens to Longbottom's toad. If he has managed to produce a Shrinking Solution, it will shrink to a tadpole. If, as I don't doubt, he has done it wrong, his toad is likely to be poisoned." Neville whimpered as the Professor sent him another nasty grin. Neville could feel the worried glances of his housemates on his back when Snape plucked Trevor from his hands and took a small spoonful of Neville's fixed potion. He whimpered again when the potion was trickled down the throat of his precious toad.

No one made a sound when Trevor swallowed, before there was a quiet 'pop!' and Trevor the _tadpole_ was wriggling desperately in the professor's hand. Neville let out a silent sob of relief and the Gryffindors broke out into applause.

Snape looked like he'd sucked on a lemon as he pulled a small bottle from his black robes and poured some on Trevor. There was a toad in his palm again and he dumped it harshly into Neville's waiting hands, where it was then cradled to his chest. The Gryffindor's applause ended with Snape's sudden deduction of points.

"Five points from Gryffindor. I told you not to help him, Miss Granger. Class dismissed." Most of the Gryffindors practically _snarled_ at Snape after that, but all Neville could feel was the relief that his toad was still alive. He followed the others from the room in a daze. As he passed through the door he was pushed around by the Slytherins and ignored by the Gryffindors. It seemed that as long as he wasn't being directly attacked in front of them, they didn't really care. He sighed and headed to the first Defence against the Dark Arts class.

When he arrived at the classroom Professor Lupin wasn't there yet, so they all chose desks and pulled out their books, quills, parchment. The rest of the class was chatting amongst themselves as they waited for the teacher. Neville turned to the Golden Trio and thanked Hermione for helping him while deciding to leave out the fact that his potion was tampered with. Who knows what those three would do if he told them. When Professor Lupin entered the room they all quietened down somewhat while Neville turned to the front and watched as the kind, but slightly unhealthy looking teacher entered the room. He smiled at the room and placed his suitcase that had seen better days on the teacher's desk.

"Good afternoon," he greeted the class, "would you please put all your books back in your bags? Today will be a practical lesson. You will need only your wands." There were curious looks tossed around the room as they all moved to put away their gear. The last practical lesson had had him strung up on the chandelier by a bunch of Cornish Pixies. When everyone was ready he spoke up again.

"Right then, if you'd all follow me." The class got to their feet as they followed the curious professor out of the classroom. Neville fingered his wand nervously. They were lead along the now deserted corridor and around a corner, where Peeves the Poltergeist was waiting, hanging upside down in midair, and stuffing chewing gum into the nearest door. Neville stifled his chuckles at the look of disgust and annoyance that most of the class bore on their faces at the sight of the Poltergeist. He himself got along quite well with the troublemaker, often helping him in the more physical aspects of his pranks after he'd been found in his first year by the age-old prankster after he'd been beaten by some older Slytherins for 'stress relief'. Neville had been shocked when the Poltergeist had panicked over his welfare, and even more so when Peeves had then dashed off to get him help. Less than thirty seconds later Peeves had come back around the corner with two identical red-heads running behind. Neville had found it funny that Peeves idea of help was some third year pranksters rather than a teacher, but he'd been very glad for it.

He also had his other injured healed when they took him to the infirmary, being able to blame them all on other students, of course, he had no names or appearances of his attackers, but he felt quite healthy afterward, and he'd made three friends.

Peeves didn't react to anyone until Professor Lupin was quite close to him. He wriggled his feet at the Professor before breaking out in the types of songs that he usually only reserved for the students.

"Loony, loopy Lupin, Loony, Loopy Lupin, Loony, Loopy Lupin-" the looks on the students faces almost had him laughing again, but he held his tongue between his teeth to keep silent. Neville was surprised though, at the fact that Professor Lupin was still smiling at the Poltergeist.

"I'd take that gum out of the keyhole if I were you, Peeves, Mr. Filch won't be able to get in to his brooms." Neville was surprised by the pleasantness of the Professor's voice when he realised that was probably Professor Lupin's way of dealing with people. Nice them to death. He laughed silently at the thought.

Peeve completely ignored the Professor's words, blowing a wet kiss at him instead. He gave Neville a subtle wave that was returned that also went unnoticed by the other students. Neville turned his attention back to his teacher when he heard him sigh and draw his wand. He spoke to the class over his shoulder as he raised his wand to shoulder level and pointed it at Peeves.

"Please watch closely. Waddiwasi!" The chewing gum shot out of the keyhole and flew straight at Peeves... and into his left nostril. Peeves whirled back upright and zoomed over the student's heads and to the back of the class where Neville was standing, cursing all the way.

The class laughed at Peeves misfortune and as they continued on. Neville hung back to help Peeves get the chewing gum out. He heard the rest of the class cheering the teacher on, but felt the Professor turn back to stare at him when he started speaking quietly to Peeves. He wondered how great the teacher's hearing would have to be to have heard him from the front of the class. Quickly helping Peeves, he scurried after the class again.

"Inside, please." Professor Lupin's voice was quite and gentle, but still had the 'no-questions' tone. He opened the door and stood back, waiting for the kids to enter first. Neville scanned the room when he entered and saw they were in the staffroom. It was an odd room that ran quite long and was panelled. There were mismatched chairs scattered throughout the room, which was empty of all teachers but one. The one teacher that he did not want to see. He was sneering at the children, black eyes conveying his annoyance. As Professor Lupin entered the room he stood and spoke.

"Leave it open Lupin. I'd rather not witness this." With that he strode past the class, but before he left, caught sight of Neville and smirked horribly.

"Possibly no one's warned you, Lupin, but this class contains Neville Longbottom. I would advise you not to entrust him with anything difficult. Not unless Miss Granger is hissing instructions in his ear." Neville's face burned with embarrassment and he lowered his head in shame. He really was useless.

...

Remus' tensed as Mooney let out a very loud growl in his head. He was surprised no one had noticed actually. His eyes snapped to Neville Longbottom, the boy who he had been watching at the beginning of class. He smelt like tears and a bit of fear. He'd been shocked when he heard the small boy speaking kindly to Peeves the Poltergeist after his little demonstration to the class. He watched as the boy's eyes widened before flashing the same fear as before and an immense sadness. His cheeks burned and he lowered his head. Remus was furious. To say such a thing about one of your own students! He was also worried by the fact that none of the surrounding Gryffindors showed much concern, not even Harry. It was just looks of pity flashed in the boy's direction and irritation at Snape. Remus schooled his features and raised an eyebrow at Snape.

"I was hoping that Neville would assist me with the first stage of the operation, and I am sure he will perform it admirably." Remus watched from the corner of his eye as Neville's head snapped up before reddening even more. The absolute dread in his eyes started the new Professor. He barley paid attention as Snape left the room before drawing the classes' attention again. He brought them to the wardrobe in the back of the room which the Boggart was hiding in.

...

Neville didn't listen as much as he should have when the Professor started to explain things about Boggarts before asking questions from Hermione and Harry. Neville was staring at the wardrobe with absolute terror. He knew what a Boggart was. He'd come across one a while back, and it wasn't a pretty sight. If that other wizard hadn't jumped in, he would have been in a lot of trouble. To this day, he still didn't know who it was that saved him.

Neville gave a small sound of terror when he realised what his Boggart would appear to be if he didn't fix it now. He realised that what he was really afraid of... was that he would never be good enough. Even his family thought that he was a squib. If Uncle Algie hadn't thrown him out that window, they probably wouldn't have found out that he had magic at all. Sometimes he wondered if he should, as his family hadn't cared about the fact he was thrown from the top floor, over the fact that he would be able to make them money in the future as he was a wizard. They wouldn't have cared if he died. Well, seeing as they nearly killed him on a regular basis, he wasn't too surprised. He paid more attention to Professor Lupin when he was explaining the charm and tried it with the rest of the class.

"We will practice the charm without wands first. After me, please... Riddikulus!" the class repeated the charm correctly.

"Good," replied the Professor, "Very good. But that was the easy part, I'm afraid. You see, the word alone is not enough. And this is where you come in, Neville."

Neville gulped and walked forward, and he could feel himself shaking, almost as violently as the wardrobe itself. He still hadn't figured out how to face this thing. The Professor spoke up again.

"Right, Neville, first things first: what would you say is the thing that frightens you the most in the world?"

Neville desperately tried to think of something, anything, that wouldn't reveal the truth about his life. He could only mouth the words of fear running through his head. Then a sudden thought struck him. Who was the one person that proved that he was worthless? That he'd never be useful at all?

"Didn't catch that, Neville, sorry," the Professor spoke up again cheerfully. Neville looked around the room. He was certain that what he said now was going to make him the laughing stock of the class again. He could only barely whisper the name of one of the people that scared him the most.

"Professor Snape."

...

Remus froze once again when those words left the terrified youth's mouth. How dare a teacher scare a child so much that he considered him one of the scariest things in the world?! Remus could see that this wasn't a simple fear and the boy had been struggling with his answer before. He stopped to wonder what it was that the child was hiding, what was the fear that Snape was representing? He snapped back to attention when the class burst into laughter and the small student in front of him flinched before forcing a grin. Once again, Remus forced himself to calm down before turning to the boy again.

"Professor Snape... hmmm... Neville, I believe you live with your grandmother?" Apparently that was not the right thing to say. Neville had flinched rather violently and the look of raw terror that flooded the boy's eyes had Mooney growling again. He watched the boy try to recover himself before answering nervously.

"Err- yes, but- I really don't want the Boggart to turn into her either." Remus was quick to remedy his mistake.

"No, no, you misunderstood me," he smiled, trying to reassure the boy, "I wonder, could you tell us what sort of clothes your grandmother usually wears?" He waited for the boy to respond; glad he was much calmer than before, although confused.

"Well... always the same hat. A tall one with a stuffed vulture on top; and a long dress... green, normally... and sometimes a fox-fur scarf." Remus grinned at the image before prompting further,

"And a hand-bag?" The boy looked startled once again before grinning and answering, obviously catching where Remus was going with this. He realised that Neville was actually quite smart, contrary to Snape's thoughts.

"A big red one," replied Neville. Remus spoke again before the class got restless.

"Right then, can you picture those clothes very clearly, Neville? Can you see them in your mind's eye?" The boy nodded, and gave a soft affirmative answer.

"When the Boggart bursts out of the wardrobe, Neville, and sees you, it will assume the form of Professor Snape. And you will raise your wand, and cry 'Riddikulus'- and concentrate hard on your grandmother's clothes. If all goes well, Professor Snape will be forced into the vulture-topped hat, and that green dress, with that big red handbag." Many students laughed at that, but Neville's grin was still uncertain. He turned to the rest of the class.

"If Neville is successful, the Boggart is likely to shift his attention to each of us in turn," he told the excited class. "I would like all of you to take a moment now to think of the thing that scares you most, and imagine how you might force it to look comical..."

...

"Everyone ready?" said Professor Lupin. Neville wanted to turn to the professor and tell him that, in fact he was not alright and would like to leave now and go die in a hole, but alas, fear kept his mouth shut. He froze with the professors next words.

"Neville, we're going to back away," said Professor Lupin. "Let you have a clear field, all right? I'll call the next person forward... Everyone back, now, so Neville can get a clear shot -"

They all retreated, backed against the walls, leaving Neville alone beside the wardrobe.

"On the count of three, Neville," the Professor spoke as he pointed his own wand at the wardrobe handle, "One, two and three! Now!" As the sparks left the Professor's wand and hit the doorknob, all of Neville's senses were overcome with dread. Suddenly, Professor Snape strode from the wardrobe, as menacing as ever. His eyes immediately locked onto Neville before sneering.

Neville backed away, mouthing the charm, as the Professor brought his hand to his robes and opened his mouth to speak.

"You will never"- Neville suddenly cut him off, imagining his Gran's clothes and stuttering out the spell.

"R - r - _Riddikulus!_" There was a loud crack before Professor Snape stumbled over his _heels._ There was a roar of laughter from the class as they caught sight of their Professor wearing a long, green, lace-trimmed dress and a towering hat topped with a stuffed vulture that had been attacked by moths, and clutching a huge red hand-bag to his chest.

The Boggart stopped, confused by the laughter before Professor Lupin called the next student forward. Neville tried to pay attention to the turns of the rest of the class, but the fact that the Boggart had been _so close_ to speaking his fear terrified him. Suddenly attention was drawn to their Professor. He ran forward and yelled,

"Here!" The legless spider vanished and before the professor was a silvery-white orb hanging in the air. Neville had just enough time to recognise it as the moon before the Professor changed it to a cockroach.

"Forward, Neville, and finish him off!" as the Professor said this Neville rushed forward to once again see Professor Snape before casting the clothes quickly and laughing as hard as he could, even if it was forced.

The Boggart exploded in to wisps of smoke before it disappeared and Professor Lupin congratulated the class and awarded points. Neville was happy to take ten points for facing the Boggart twice. As Professor Lupin spoke to Harry, Hermione and then gave out homework, Neville wondered about their strange professor.

He looked a little shabby, had many scars, excellent hearing, and was apparently afraid of the full moon. Neville jolted as he realised where his line of thought was heading. Professor Lupin couldn't possibly be a _werewolf_, could he?

**Hi guys! So I finished chapter one! I figured that I'd do this one simple like this, following the book before I actually change things around a little. I personally really like Remus, so I did his opinion a little, but it probably won't happen again.**

**Next chapter will have Neville approach Prof. Lupin about his discovery and hopefully some Snape.**

**See ya next time! Please review!**


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